Truly, You Are Precious
by Wannabe Shinobi
Summary: Temari finds herself accidentally pregnant, and runs away to Konoha. Who is the true father of her baby, and will she be alone in the city of tree leaves? NarutoTemari
1. Warrior of the Sand, Mothering?

::Author's note::  
  
My first fantiction ever submitted... whoa ..; Please, please, please be kind. But please: rate and give tips or pointers or mention errors I made, just don't flame. I can't handle it. Do you want me to kill myself?  
  
Sasuke: Survey says yes.  
  
Oh shut up you little butthead o.0

* * *

Her face crinkled in defeat, hot tears streaming abundantly down her cheeks.  
  
Desperation picked at her, trying to crack her inner shell and devour her whole, licking it's chops with glee.  
  
Sobs racked her chest, threatening to break from her lungs in an awful, crying scream to tell the world of her pain.  
  
Having a child... was supposed to mean joy and love and family, but for Temari, it meant none of these things.  
  
For God's sake, the kazekage had engaged her to a rich man of another nation, a powerful man who gladly would take her for his wife and treat her well and leave to her his fortune.  
  
But being steadily defiant, Temari had decided not to leave the comfort of her boyfriend's arms until the wedding- but now, she was pregnant.  
  
In fact, she was overjoyed with the concept of having a little child, and raising and loving it, but a baby around her brothers, especially Gaara? The kazekage, her father? Would he make the child into a monster as well? And her fiance- he wouldn't accept this! A baby not his own? Hardly.  
  
One hand's slender fingers slipped under her shirt, feeling the smooth, round firmness of her belly, just barely concealed by her baggy clothes, the other hand pressing up against the darkened bathroom window. A silvery cloud removed itself from the moon's passage, and angelic white light flooded in, revealing that her stomach was becoming so large that it even created a shadow.  
  
Tears began welling up in her eyes again, but this time, she silenced her crying and decided that it was enough.  
  
Walking slowly down the endless hall of her father's mansion, she reached her room, packing a single bag wih clothes and food. At first, she began to hurry from the room, but paused, taking into account that she would never see it again. Her fingers traced over the paneling window, and gazed at the sharp winds that whipped up streaks of sand and toyed with them, twisting and tormenting them beyond believe. Her bunk bed that she shared with Kankuro and then Gaara so long ago, her stuffed toys, her books and little plastic horses... everything.  
  
Though it would be hard, she would give it all up, all her possessions and wealth, for the health and safety of her child.  
  
With realization, she saw... that it was alright.  
  
Silently, she slipped from her room, her eyes running over the pictures that lined the hallway of her brothers, father, mother, aunts and cousins, and of the great portraits hung in heavy frames.  
  
Picking the lock to her father's study, she pulled a floorboard up and quickly packed all the money she found into her bag. "Hope you won't miss this, Daddy." she murmured sarcastically.  
  
Temari, for the most part, hated her father. He exploited all three of his children, didn't grieve for her mother, and turned her youngest brother into an awful beast, with little emotion and gave him no affection. And his frustration... he once screamed at her for an hour when she dropped a stack of plates when she was cleaning up after dinner.  
  
The moment had never been in real time-- the dishes floated through air before shattering into a thousand pieces on the tile floor.  
  
After his commotion, Temari ran crying to her room, stifling herself as she burrowed into the quilts and blankets of her bed. Kankuro peered at her from the top bunk, mostly careless to whatever it was she was crying about.  
  
"Don't look at me, freak!" shrieked Temari angrily, trying to avoid his uncaring, critical stare.  
  
The door to their room, open to a crack, was slowly pushed open by no one other than Gaara, his blue eyes then so large and empty.  
  
"What is it, Temari?" he asked, and she could tell he actually was concerned.  
  
He had been like that before- he could almost understand emotion and feeling and pain.  
  
She sniffed, and the entire incident flashing painfully through her mind again, she began to cry again, other bad memories adding on like salt on a wound.  
  
Through watery eyes, she could see her little brother take the folded quilt from the corner of her bed and struggle to open it, and then lying the quilt at her feet, which her hugged to her chest.  
  
"I'm sorry." he said, his eyes stared sadly at the floor.  
  
She had twisted her face, confused. What was he sorry about? Temari didn't know her brother that well, mostly because her father's insistance of his training all day.  
  
Not wanting to risk making his angry or displeased with her, she only whispered, "Please don't be."  
  
If her father had simply loved that child, and allowed him to have friends and play with Kankuro and herself, she doubted he would be a freak.  
  
But it wasn't her concern now.  
  
Leaving the home she had lived in for eighteen years and stepping into the ravaging winds of the Nation of Sand, Temari was never to return. 

* * *

::Author's note:: So? So? Whatcha think? A little short, I know. TELL ME BEFORE MY HEAD EXPLODES O.O


	2. From the Sand to the Bright Lights

:: Author's Note :  
Holy flaming COWS, I didn't expect such a good reaction!! I got online and my e-mail was practically overflowing. (Very obviously, I'm not that popular, e-mail wise (:  
  
Thank you, everyone, so much, it's really fantastic how you've taken time to help and compliment me!  
  
Oh, and I feel you all should know about my predicament... I live in America, ecch, and I only have access to episodes 1-76 on DVD, so my knowledge is limited. I can't find decent episode summaries, and I can't spare my pocket change on bittorents or even on new episodes as of my current financial situation. AKA, my mom cut off my allowance until December because I promised it to her so I could buy random fan stuff off , so, y'know.  
  
Please keep reviewing, I am far from perfection!! (:

* * *

The bright of lights of Konoha seemed to call to her, their tall gates opened widely to welcome her and the other travelers that entered at this time of the evening. The sun's slender beams reached out like fingers to grasp the ground, as if wishing to remain in the sky forever, smoky pink clouds ushering it out of the heavens and behind the mountains and rolling hills in the distance.  
  
Temari had quickly run out of the food she packed in her luggage, and her inhabited belly was eager for a meal.  
  
Her blue eyes gaped in wonder, her gasping breaths exposing that she had forgotten how grand Konoha truly was.  
  
Lanterns were strung from brightly painted buildings, presenting the carts decked out with trinkets and souvenirs, and restaurants held their doors open to all, the delicious smells of delicacies and old favorites inviting all to indulge a little bit.  
  
Families laughed, young lovers shared a meal, and children played about, girls giggling as they shopped for cheap little bracelets and boys boasting before unsuccessfully attempting to show off to their crushes.  
  
It was so unlike her own village.  
  
She couldn't remember all the times her friends had left her, often when they were told why they couldn't come over to her house or when a prettier girl came to their school, but here... they didn't seem so materialistic.  
  
It was easy to tell the poor from the rich, but both seemed to enjoy being with one another, whereas in Sunakagure, there lower class detested upper class, and vice versa.  
  
Casting her thoughts aside, and since she was so hungry, it really wasn't that hard, she approached a ramen stand, immediately opening her bag to fetch her money.  
  
"This your first time here?" asked the old man as he cooked up another man's meal.  
  
"Yes, it is." replied Temari tartly, half expecting him spread a greedy smile and try to rip her off.  
  
"I recommend this." he paused from his work to tap the large menu lying beneath the glass, in particular, a very expensive item.  
  
She glared at him, one hand placed subconsciously on her stomach.  
  
Just take toys from my baby's hands, why don't you.  
  
"I can't afford such a ridiculous item. I have other needs than for myself and my taste." she scoffed.  
  
The old man laughed, dishing out miso ramen into a styrofoam container and handing it to a customer. "I see you haven't heard... Today is everything half off for first time customers." he smiled, resting his weathered hands on apron-covered hips.  
  
One eyebrow quirked, and she continued gazing at him steadily. "Can I take it to go? I have things to do."  
  
"Most certainly."

- - - - -

A couple walked through the crowds, one clutching a pink-haired baby girl. It was none other than Sakura and Rock Lee, sensei to the Ninja children of Konoha. "Ne, Lee-kun, I'm hungry. I want to eat." prodded Sakura, gesturing to her favorite restaurant.  
  
After the Chuunin exams, Naruto and Lee had become respected friends, drawn together by their crush on Sakura and on their hate for Neji.  
  
But as Naruto had dedicated himself to becoming a powerful ninja, and Lee and Sakura focused on settling down to a calm lifestyle, their once close-knit trio had become separated, and Naruto even grew so far apart that when Lee announced his engagement to Sakura, Naruto hadn't even known they were dating.  
  
But recently, after being given a leave to rest after his Jounin mission, Naruto had gotten in touch with his friends again, and was even having lunch with them tomorrow.  
  
"But-but- Sakura-chan! We just ate, I haven't any room in my stomach." he insisted.  
  
Sakura had also discovered something she had never known about Lee.  
  
He was a lot more of a penny pincher than she was.  
  
"You don't have to eat. I do."  
  
Sakura began to drag her husband to the Ichiraku Ramen, but as they approached, a seemingly familiar woman disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Sitting down on the little spinning stool, she asked, "Lee-kun! Did you see that? That was Temari."  
  
He glanced behind himself, but saw no one. "Are you sure? Temari, from the Chuunin exam all those years ago?"  
  
Sakura bit her lip, her confidence depleted as she considered the probabilities.  
  
"It can't be... but I was so sure."

- - - - -

She had continued down the streets of Konoha, window shopping as she took bites of the hot food the old man had offered at half price. She undoubtably disliked that he took pity on her, but didn't mind the lower price all that much.  
  
None of the stores seemed to interest her- teenager's clothing seemed to be too abundant for her tastes.  
  
But then she had seen it; a shop with windows filled with clothes for babies and toddlers, sewn with ducks and banyard animals onto pastel colors. In the background of the shop, there were discount diapers and baby food, even secondhand items like strollers and carriers.  
  
In the corner of the broad window was a small sign, requesting help during the daytime and occaisionally on weekends.  
  
She smiled to herself for the first time that day.

* * *

:: Author's Note ::

Teehee, I have plans all the way up to chapter five already (: I need some ideas for the father though, since I hadn't even thought of including him, stupid me.

And I can't think of names for the baby, and if anyone could reccommend any, that'd be great, but I'm not letting on what gender or anything :D

Thanks everyone, so much, for reading and reviewing and thinking good thoughts!!


	3. My Next Door Neighbor is a Nuisance!

:: Author's Note ::  
  
Just thought I'd address a couple of the reviewers :)  
  
To everyone who was wondering... yes, the father will make an apparance(somewhat) and yes, I am planning this to be a NaruTema. Sorry, Shikamaru fans!  
  
And because it's so convenient for Temari to be running away from her father and not just her brothers and fiance, we'll pretend the Kazekage is still alive (;  
  
Big thanks to refused for the awesome manga chapters idea! I would never have thought of that, but isn't it only in Japanese? I haven't checked it out yet, but I will be as soon as possible.  
  
And I will be striving to extend my chapters so there's more Mimi Goodness for all ;D  
  
Anyway, onto the next chapter, centered around Temari's thoughts on her baby' father from her perspective, who is, unfortunately, not Naruto but an OC character :(

* * *

The paint on the walls is chipped and cracked, and the floorboards squeak as if they are in pain, crying out as my sandals press upon them.  
  
It isn't an issue; I won't be living in this home when my baby is born. This is only temporary.  
  
"How much, old man?" I ask, being sure to gaze firmly at him.  
  
I am at a advantage; I'm a good head taller than him, and certainly stronger.  
  
He stutters a bit before offering me a cheap price for one week. I agree, hand him the money, and continue gazing firmly until he excuses himself and hurriedly runs out the door.  
  
It figures. Gaara's the only man who will actually stay in my presence when I do that.  
  
I unstrap my sleeping bag from my back, and roll it onto the cold, bare floors, incased in the square pattern of sunlight from a window without shades or curtains.  
  
Without truly realizing it, I place a hand on my stomach as I lie in the ill-lit room, and I think I can feel a heartbeat.  
  
My child... what will he or she look like?  
  
After rooting in my bag for a moment, I find my collection of pictures I brought with me; pictures of my brothers, my 'father', my mother, Yashamaru, even... Shunichi.  
  
I didn't have any friends when I went to high school, until I met him. I always assumed he was stupid for making friends with the 'Sand Bastard's Sister' as they called me then, but he always seemed contented.  
  
After we had known each other, we began to date- not seriously, but just for fun.  
  
After a night of fooling around, we became much much closer... much more intimate.  
  
So although we weren't in love, and just friends, Shunichi and I agreed that if either one of us was feeling depressed or unhappy or just needed human contact, we could rely on one another not to take advantage of each other but still be intimate.  
  
My father would have killed me as I slept if he knew, but he never found out, as far as I know.  
  
My fingers trace longlingly over his picture, the only one I have of him. He's dressed in his Chuunin battle outfit, and it's a picture I took only a little while after he passed the exam.  
  
His messy, muddy blonde hair is tangled and tipped over in the wind, happy brown eyes gleaming as he's caught in the middle of a laugh.  
  
But every time I think about him, I feel bad for not telling him before I left.  
  
You're a father, Shunichi-kun!  
  
And we would laugh and kiss and celebrate, and all would be fabulous.  
  
Ha! I wish. Only fools believe such mediocre fairy tales.  
  
In my mind, I imagine a little boy, with his brown eyes and my blonde hair, or perhaps a girl with opposite features, blue eyes a-sparkle and muddy blonde hair a mess.  
  
And I have thought up a hundred ways to write to him, but none have been right.  
  
It's times like these I feel like crying... the times when I am alone and don't need this protective shield around me to protect me from all the men who disrespect me otherwise.  
  
Even Kankuro used to criticize me. _Be more ladylike, Temari. The men will never like you this way._

_Your clothes are so loose-fitting, Temari. You'll never be noticed._  
  
He always thought he knew how to make me a prize bride- tighter clothes, no bulky fan, no more talking smack with Shunichi and his friends, things like that.  
  
But one day, to my shock, my brother stood up for me.  
  
I had just gotten an unopened bag of potato chips to feast on in front of the television, and had my feet resting on the nearby coffeetable.  
  
"Oi, Temari-chan, get your feet off there. And those chips make you fat, and-" he had begun to lecture.  
  
"Leave her." said Gaara suddenly, his voice easily snapping the near silence. He was neither angry nor exaggerative, but simply calm. Always frighteningly calm at home.  
  
I wonder if they will come looking for me... if my father will send an army of Jounin here to bring me back screaming to him.  
  
I miss my brothers, but neither one in particular. Kankuro is useless and unfearable, while I often worry Gaara will murder me if I don't make his lunch correctly.  
  
I pull the blankets over me, still holding my picture album, and pull it to my chest. I was never allowed to display such emotion at home, such a thing meant weakness.  
  
For the first time in months, I pray to God, any and all, and ask for help with my baby, and that Shunichi is alright.

- - - -

Naruto returned to his apartment after a day-long grocery shopping trip, having gotten lost in the super store and unable to find his way out.  
  
With little interest, he noticed that the 'for rent' sign on the apartment beside his was gone, and that someone had already moved in.  
  
He was too tired to think, really, although it was unlikely that he would think well anyway, and simply put away his groceries in a daze before crashing into his bed and falling asleep, kunai and all strapped to his body. 

- - - -

Temari groans; her next door neighbor seems to be a nuisance. He comes home late and sleeps noisily.  
  
What a **brat**. 


	4. The Old Men's Games

:: Author's Note ::  
  
I have to make some corrections... ..;  
  
I will have to increase Temari's age, since Lost Dream brought up something I carelessly hadn't even realized(Lee and Sakura are fifteen and sixteen?! How did I not notice that?!!)) and I think it would be best to make her twenty-one instead, making Naruto and co. eighteen and Lee nineteen. They're still young, but considering that Konoha is sort of an old-fashioned place, it doesn't seem TOO irregular.  
  
And so much in the way of thanks to refused, the manga chapter idea will work awesomely!  
  
All my repeating reviwers(and new ones), I consider you the coolest beings upon this green earth :)  
  
I am trying to lengthen my chapters, but I'm having some trouble making the connection smoothly between scenes, so be warned.

* * *

"Lee-kun! Clean faster!" called Sakura in her lecturing voice, spraying a window with windex for the third time and polishing it with a rag.  
  
Her bowl-haired husband swept some dirt under a rug, hiding it from view.  
  
"But Sakura-chan! It's only Naruto-kun. I nearly lost a toe to an old frozen dinner last time I was at his place!"  
  
There was a long silence, and Lee shivered as he felt the killing intention creep in from the other room.  
  
Luckily for him, their guest arrived, knocking continually at the door until Lee answered it, which he was happy to do.  
  
It was, of course, the Eternal Knocker of Doors, Naruto, grinning at his juvenile joke.  
  
Sakura came in from the other room, and immediately gave her Jounin friend a one-armed hug, as she was holding her daughter in the other.  
  
And as Naruto had feared, the child began crying the moment she spotted him.  
  
Sakura laughed nervously, but Lee offered to take her to see what was wrong.  
  
Naruto scratched the back of his head, forcing a grin.  
  
Why did babies **always** do that around him?!  
  
Sakura handed Naruto a plate, and began cutting up multiple fruits for their salad, while he snacked on little sandwiches on the table. There were ten sandwichs in all- two each for her and Lee, and six for Naruto.  
  
For awhile, she talked about random things- the baby, the truth about Lee's eyebrows, and how everyone else was doing, but when she reached a silence, she couldn't help but blurt it out.  
  
"Naruto," she began, "I think I saw Temari last night!! As in the sister of Gaara!"  
  
Caught off guard, and he often was, Naruto choked on the two little sandwiches he was eating at once and sent a tomato spewing from his mouth.

- - - -

"Why, sure, I'll hire you. You'll have to tell me you name again, though." smiled the older woman, perhaps in her late twenties.  
  
"It's Temari."  
  
"Temari! Oh, I'll be getting confused. I have another girl who works here, her name is Tenten. Six letters and they both start with the letter T!" she laughed merrily to herself, not noticing as Temari restrained her shock.  
  
A ninja must never be surprised, she scolded to herself.  
  
As sweetly as possible, she asked, "What shift does she work? Will I be seeing her?"  
  
Althought confused as to why her newest employee wanted to know about another employee, the woman responded, "She's here in the morning, and you're signed up in the evening... you might, but it's highly unlikely."  
Temari silently let out a sigh of relief. She needed this job, and was easily willing to take the risk of seeing her former opponent.  
  
But if the pigtailed brunette did see her... what would she do? Would she tell the Fifth about it, and what about her friends? If she was kicked out of Konoha, there were few places so large that she could become hidden in.  
  
Casting her thoughts aside, she only put on her best smile, one which was unpracticed, toothy, and forced, and wished the storeowner good day, promising to be there for her shift tomorrow.  
  
Her next stop was a Go and Shogi parlor located on the second level of a building downtown, where she had been accepted to work in the mornings.

- - - -

"Temari?!" exclaimed Naruto, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.  
  
"I don't know why she's here, Naruto. It can't possibly be another attempt to destroy Konoha, right? Because that wasn't something planned by her and her brothers... they were just pawns."  
  
The Jounin nodded thoughtfully, something he was rarely seen doing.  
  
"Maybe... it has nothing to do with the exam. Maybe she's just trying to live here?" he shrugged, stuffing the remainder of the sandwiches into his mouth.  
  
He had been her home country a few times on missions, and could be quoted as saying that the climate was 'stupid.'  
  
The people of the Nation of Sand lived in houses shaped like the pottery pots Naruto grew his plants in, and were constantly taking beatings from the winds that slashed day and night through the gritty soil. It rarely rained there, and it was dry and hot, and whenever someone stepped outside, the winds would rip at a person's skin and make it bleed, and sometimes, grains would become stuck in their skin and leave a bump or a scar.  
  
He often grumbled at the memory, and could easily see why Temari would want to leave.  
  
Then he noticed that Sakura was popping her knuckles, something she did when she was thinking or worrying, and was glancing into the other room where Lee and her baby were. Lee was giving the child a fresh diaper, and was currently being defeated by the baby powder, which had blinded him. When the powder cleared, the baby cooed and laughed, and Lee lifted her to his shoulder and spoke to her, a happy smile spread across his face the entire time.  
  
But Naruto only gazed somewhat sadly. This was what he dreamed about when his crush on Sakura was strong, but now, he considered it nearly impossible. All the women in the village he knew were getting married, and his missions and training scedules were keeping him from a social life.  
  
He had always wanted to work this hard, all toward becoming Hokage, but he couldn't be a bachelor when he accepted that responsibility.  
  
It was just not worth it.  
  
"Oi, Sakura-chan, can I talk to you later? I'm going to go talk to Shikamaru and the rest about the Temari thing." he excused himself, and Sakura gave him a quick hug before he left.  
  
Stepping onto the downtown, residential street, Naruto asked himself where might Shikamaru be.  
  
Of course! Playing the old men's games! And if he remembered correctly, there was a Go and Shogi parlor just a few blocks from here, and it was the only one this side of Konoha.

- - - -

This. Is. S_o_. **Boring**.  
  
Temari's head lay resting in the hand of the arm she had propped against the desk, the sounds of clacks and talking faint in her ears.  
  
Although she had been hoping for a slow-paced job, this was too slow.  
  
It was filled with old men, all the time, who seemed to have nothing better to do than master games for which there was no purpose.  
  
_Shogi? How will that help you in life, hmm?_ Temari wanted to know.  
  
She yawned, and heard someone approaching.  
  
And someone she thought she would never see again came bursting through the door.  
  
"Hey, Shikamaru!! Are you here, Shika--" Naruto stopped suddenly, locking eye contact with Temari.  
  
Both stared at each other, Temari's blue eyes sharp and defensive, Naruto's blank but well-meaning.  
  
"Ahh-ah-ah... W-What are you doing here, Temari?" he asked nervously, scratching the back of his head, his heart racing. This confrontation could be ugly.  
  
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm working." she scoffed, pretending not to be surprised at seeing him and trying her best to remain calm and collected.  
  
Naruto nodded for a moment, before scrunching his brows together curiously.  
  
"Why are you working? Isn't your family rich or something? And why are you in Konoha?" The questions came popping out like fireworks, each one annoying her further.  
  
As if to explain all his questions without detail, she pulled herself up to sit on the stool behind her, revealing her heavy belly.  
  
"...oh." murmured Naruto.  
  
Realizing that she had separated herself from her family, and knowing what it was like to be short on income, his compassion kicked in.  
  
"Do you have any other work than this?"  
  
One blonde eyebrow quirked, as if to demand from him why he cared.  
  
"I have another job at a store. I'm a cashier."  
  
He nodded a few times. "Can you cook?"  
  
Temari shrugged, and smoothly responded, "If the need comes."  
  
"Don't take this the wrong way, but although I've tried, I can only make ramen. Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei both say that if I don't eat healthier, that I'm going to become weaker." he seemed unable to continue explaining, and with a sigh, Temari finished his sentence.  
  
"You men are so helpless. Are you telling me you'd hire me just to cook meals for you?" she asked, clearly enjoying her superior abilites in the ways of cooking.  
  
He shrugged and nodded. That was basically it.  
  
"Sounds easy. But you gotta pay me six dollars a meal, I won't waste my time on handmade meals for nothing." She kept her eyes on him the entire time, watching from under long-lashed lids every movement he made. She knew how to tell if someone was trying to deceive her.  
  
He held out a hand, which Temari reluctantly shook.  
  
"I live in the apartment building on Calamara street, number three-fourteen." he called as he left.  
  
After the kitsune was far from her presence, she smirked.  
  
Temari of Hidden Sand Village had never cooked a meal that was without burns in her life.

* * *

:: Author's Note ::

Sooo, what do you think?

I had a bit of trouble linking the two together, and then it was a tiny bit hard to let some of Temari's arrogance dissapate, so I just decided it was more her style to do a little bit of manipulation :)


	5. The Best Bath I've Ever Had

:: Author's Note ::  
  
YAY! My mom bought a new car yesterday, a Honda CR-V, and we picked it up today. I am overjoyed, since I've been wanting that car forever, nevermind I can't drive yet ;  
  
Black leather seats, kickass sound system...  
  
I know I just did a Temari POV, but I really like peeking into her mind. And besides, we get to see into Naruto's as well!  
  
Oh, and to the magician of darkness, I bought my Naruto DVDs at animearigato(dot)com. They aren't in english verbally, but they do have english subtitles, which aren't too hard to understand although they lack a little pizazz :)  
  
And holy flying dung, you bizarre Swedish person, put a band-aid on that ;D

* * *

That night, Temari came home, warily eyeing Naruto's door as she passed it.  
  
With a sigh, she entered her apartment, her swollen feet aching horribly.  
  
Immediately, she went to the bathroom and started filling the tub with a steamy blend of hot water, and poured in bath salts that would supposedly make your skin softer and smell like fresh apricots, peaches, and nectarines.  
  
_This is my first real, relaxing bath ever.  
_  
Such things weren't allowed in Sand Country, and were considered female weaknesses, but yesterday morning, she had picked up a few things to help her relax, since there was no punching bag here.  
  
Filling the room with lit candles, as her electric bill was so expensive, she undressed and slipped into the hot tub, the tips of her released blonde hair becoming wet and clinging to her shoulders.  
  
With the room perfectly quiet, she had expected to clean her mind free of any staticky troubles, but it seemed impossible.  
  
_How are you going to support yourself?_  
  
_This water's awfully hot._  
  
_How will I care for my baby if I'm working all the time?_  
  
_Can I really do this?_  
  
_How can I expect him to pay me tomorrow once he sees what I bring him?_  
  
Him. Uzumaki Naruto.  
  
He didn't seem picky, but not even Gaara would dare to eat anything Temari had 'operated' on, not the Christmas roast or even canned corn. It seemed that by just touching food, she had confirmed it's culinary death.  
  
But then, he couldn't truly expect her to be a good cook?  
  
And... why had he been so eager to help? She was an enemy of his, and of his entire nation, and had even tried to hurt him by destroying those things he held so dearly.  
  
Her blue eyes narrowed at an unsuspecting candle, and for a moment, it seemed as though she was staring at him.  
  
_Naruto! You bastard, do you think I'm weak? Do you think I am so helpless that I need eighteen dollars a day, and that I am defenseless just because I'm having a baby?! Well, you're **wrong**!  
_  
A growl purled in her throat, her anger brimming at the top towards Naruto and the poor candle in her view.  
  
She swirled the bubbly warm water with her fingers, attempting to calm herself as she began to feel the tensions in her muscles break down, something they had never done before. 

- - - -  
  
Their figures were submerged in darkness, only the basic outline of their profile visible.  
  
One of the three men reached out to pluck a toy from the shelf, holding it tightly in his hands.  
  
"Bring her back to me... and I don't want **any** excuses."  
  
The other two nodded before bowing and venturing out into the night, the sleepless winds tearing at their clothes.

- - - -  
  
Naruto yawned, awaking from his slumber. All afternoon, he had slept, a magazine carelessly flopped over his face to block out the light.  
  
He glanced to his calender just to remember what day it was, his eyes lingering momentarily at the bikini-clad model advertised for this month.  
  
Without missions, he was bored, and without any friends to even pretend to go on missions with, he was even more bored. Lee and Sakura were practically retired, the way they acted, and as for Shikamaru, Kiba, Shino, Choji, Neji, and anyone else he met along the way, they were all settled into relaxing lifestyles as sensei or store owners or scroll-writers... none of them seemed to desire an exciting fight with a powerful enemy, and it was all for Konoha's glory, too!  
  
Hmmph. They were stupid anyway.  
  
Through the thin walls of the apartment building, Naruto could hear Temari heating up a bath and then enjoy it, talking aloud to herself inaudibly.  
  
For the first time, he questioned himself.  
  
_Why had he hired her to cook for him?_  
  
He could barely afford meals at the Ichiraku Ramen, and knew he could eat healthier from discount grocery stores if he just tried.  
  
_No_, he scolded himself.  
  
Temari needed this option... without it, it might mean one less meal, one less toy for her child.  
  
His eyes squinted, remebering numerous painful memories from his younger years.  
  
In those days, he had only the money the Konoha Orphan District gave him, and their funds came from donations, frighteningly scarce at the time.  
  
Struggling to repair tattered clothes... eating slowly the same meal every day for a week... having to budget everything from clothes to food to necessities...  
  
Long ago, he decided that no child should ever have to go through that, and donated any excess he had to the orphan fund.  
  
But Temari... Temari was too proud to accept anything from anyone. She seemed to be stuck on the idea that you must support yourself without anyone's help, and if you did so, it meant you were a weakling, a runt.  
  
Ah well, it was too bothersome, Shikamaru would say.  
  
Naruto yawned again, stretched his arms, and after such a difficult mental debate, rolled over and returned to dreamland.

* * *

:: Author's Note ::

Argh, I've overscheduled myself...

Along with excessive homework, I have ballet class four days a week, I'm doing the Mojave Nutcracker(an 1.5 drive to and from five hour rehearsals), dancing in the local fair and going to rehearsal for that, and going to my homeschool's private school branch so I can get accepted into high school. -wheeze-

No worries! I'll do my best to keep up the chapters :)


	6. Hello, My Dear Brothers

Stop, you're making me blush!  
  
I feel so lucky to have such wonderful reviewers- all of you are so awesome!  
  
I don't want to sound cheesy... but I haven't had a SINGLE flame... I had compliments, encouragements, and corrections, not to mention the super-cool peeps who've helped me with manga and episode downloads, and to everyone who's added me to any kind of lists!  
  
As far as I know, i gaara, Vanya Starwind, figurechan, Otakuss, DreamWalker3, Yondaime-samaKazaraYume, and GreatMarta have added me to their 'favorite stories' list... ARIGATO!!  
  
This chapter is rightfully dedicated to everyone who has read, commented, and helped me with this story. I love you all so much I could just die :)  
  
A big thanks to Keltosh for catching a major blunder on my part- I made Naruto out to be a poor Jounin, but Jounin are powerful ninja who are paid well for their ninja services. Therefore, Naruto couldn't be poor, perhaps middle class at the least, but not POOR. So to help cover myself, I'm going to make him out to be a newer Jounin- one who hasn't yet earned a real history and isn't paid as well as, say, Kakashi or any other Jounin who has been a Jounin longer than a month :)  
  
To Valakun: I have a difficulty to sticking with charcacter traits and reactions... I can think of this really clever situation that links together perfectly, but then I think, Wait, that's what I would do, and could you really see Gaara doing THAT?!  
  
And to i gaara, I wasn't reaally going to let Sasuke in on this one xD I haven't gotten my lazy butt around to finding out what's the latest with the Naruto anime/manga, so I feel I would probably trip myself if I included him. Besides, he's a little loudmouth brat, cute at times, but I dun think he really fits into this scenario.  
  
Vanya Starwind...you made me snort with laughter and joy when I read your comment. Thanks!!  
  
Lastly, hiphop dancer: Like Sasuke, Hinata doesn't really have a place here. We can safely assume that she is married with or without children- it's unconfirmed as of yet -and that she and Naruto have simply become friends, just like how he's done with Sakura and how she has done with Sasuke.

* * *

For two weeks now, she had been bringing him breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day- she would give him breakfast at seven in the morning, before her shift at the Go Parlor, and give him a wake call by knocking continually at the door until he awoke and answered it, taking the styrofoam container from her and groggily mumbling a 'thank you.'  
  
Then at lunch, since she had no shift anywhere at that time, she would simply come back to her apartment, and at dinner, before her shift at the baby shop, she would drop it off at his door.  
  
Naruto paid her a set sum at the end of each week, of course.  
  
Such a cycle was beginning now, as Temari locked the door to her apartment, walked next door, and knocked until Naruto answered.  
  
But recently, he had begun to adjust to waking up early, and had answered the door only a few knocks in.  
  
"Oh-hi-yoh, Temari-chan!" he greeted, his eyes squinting as he smiled.  
  
"Same, Naruto-kun." she replied, extending her hand to pass him his breakfast.  
  
It was in that moment that Naruto noticed something he never had before.  
  
Temari's hands.  
  
They were long-jointed, slender things, soft in the palm but calloused lightly on the sides and tips. Her nails were short, broad, and smooth... so much healthier than his, and a lovely shade of glowing pink. They seem to have the strength to twist the ear of a trouble-making child and to soothe a crying baby.  
  
Temari paused, raising an eyebrow before furrowing them both, and demanded, "Hey! Naruto, what are you staring at?!"  
  
Snapping back into realtiy, he gave a nervous laugh, said, "Nothing!" and retreated into his apartment.  
  
Temari's hands gripped her hips tightly, pressing on the double-jointedness of her fingers.  
  
_Bastard..._  
  
Once safely inside his little cave, Naruto let out a sigh of relief before fetching a pair of chopsticks from his combination kitchen, living room, and bedroom, cringing as he smelled the burnt food from the container.  
  
Nearly choking as he forced down the meal, he could only console himself with the fact that he was doing good by suffering.  
  
Temari was certainly benefitting- the money was undeniably helpful to her, and a burden seemed to be taken off her.  
  
The cartoons on his televiision murmured away, but he didn't hear them as he thought.  
  
The worry lines caused by her creased eyebrows, the downward turning of the corners of her lips, the weight that dragged on her eyelids... practically vanished.  
  
And the laughter! Once able to withstand the humor of laughtracks, she giggled uncontrollably now when the audience did, flashing beautiful white teeth and holding her belly as she rocked back and forth.  
  
It was a drastic change from the sullen, stiff Temari he had known before.  
  
The only thing bothering him... was why she had become like this. 

- - - -

Kakashi sat on a cushioned seat atop a cement couch, one of many inside the tall, fat building accompanying the Hokage's office.  
  
A few other Jounin teachers were nearby, but down the hall came Iruka, his arms piled with papers listing the information of the newest members of the academy.  
  
He greeted everyone as he approached, but took a seat beside Kakashi, holding the tall papers on his lap. It had become their weekly habit; when Kakashi came in for his report to Tsunade about Team 7, and Iruka came to update the Hokage on the status of the cadets, the two men would chitchat, mostly about Naruto.  
  
"He's alright." said Kakashi absent mindedly to Iruka's usual, 'how are they?', knowing Iruka was mainly focused on Naruto's well-being.  
  
"He hasn't improved his diet, however- it seems to have gotten worse, if anything." the silver-haired man murmured, his tall, lean body slouching in the stiff, posture-orientated couch he sat on, his eyes browsing the latest Icha Icha Paradise.  
  
"Is that even possible? Three Cup Ramen a day is pretty bad." laughed Iruka, shuffling through his papers.  
  
"Well, he told me he's hired someone to cook for him, but obviously, whoever it is doesn't know anything about what's edible and what isn't. Multiple times in training, he's had to run to the bathroom and often doesn't return for a while." said Kakashi, the curves of a smile pressed against the cloth that stretched over his mouth.  
  
"Hn, how strange. It must be a man's cooking." laughed a nearby female Jounin who had been listening in on their conversation.  
  
- - - - 

Forcing himself to get active, as he had no training with Kakashi today, Naruto abandoned his apartment to browse through the carts that were dotting the stony main road in the midst of the city, mostly eyeing the wares that sparkled and shone with brilliance.

"Rare! Rare trinkets from the Hidden Village of Sand!" yelled one vendor, advertising items such as necklaces and beaded bracelets, but one item caught Naruto's attention. It was a shapely glass pot, curved like a gourd, filled with several textures of sand, blended and mixed in smooth swirls and twists, it's top plugged with a tan cork.

His eyes glanced over it repeatedly, weighing his his want for the item with his want for food and clothing.

The glass sand-gourd won.

- - - -

The previosuly sunny weather had vanished, and grayish storm clouds had invaded Konoha, sagging with rain.

And of course, as Temari was walking home that night, it began to pour.

Quickening her pace, she began to run, a newspaper over her head and a hand on her stomach.

Although she ran beneath the patios and roofs that hung over the street, the wind combined with rain easily soaked her.

Finally, she arrived home, entering the apartment building and gasping for breath.

Now inside the warm place, she let out a happy laugh, brushing her half-wet, half-dry bangs out of her eyes.

It was her first time ever being caught in the rain, and she had to admit, it was pretty fun.

Bending down, with difficulty, to take off her sandals, she let them hang from her fingers as she walked down the hall to her home, enjoying the softness of the carpet on her cold toes.

Pushing her key into the lock, her feet brushed something. It seemed the power was out, and she hadn't noticed what someone had laid at her door.

Stooping to pick it up, she let out a small gasp as she saw what it was. Tied around the little glass gourd was a piece of paper, fastened with a white ribbon. She squinted to read the messy handwriting, practically every other letter crossed out and rewritten.

_Hey Temari. I was out buying stuff and I saw this and thought that you would think that it's cool. The guy said it was straight from Sunakagure but he didnt charge me full price when I told him I was buying it for someone from there. Hope you like it. Uzumaki Naruto._

As a matter of fact, he had gotten a reduced price- all thanks to his sexy no jutsu, of course.

She smiled and let out a soft laugh in appreciation of his kindness, holding the beautiful but heavy ornament in her arms.

Unlocking her apartment, she carefully groped about, feeling for the dresser she kept near the door. The moment she placed the glass gourd on it, a candle was lit from across the room.

She whirled around, and panicked when she saw who it was, hurriedly running backwards and smashing into the wall.

The items on the dresser rattled, and a glass vase fell and shattered on the floor.

After that, things blurred- all Temari knew was that she fell, cut her hand, screamed, and threatened the two men in her apartment.

Naruto was awakened from yet another nap, this time to hear a woman's scream echoing through the entire building.

Once more, the shriek ripped through the air, and this time, his eyes widened in shock.

Not even pausing to put on a jacket over his t-shirt and boxers, he ran to her apartment, barreling through the door without hesitation.

Sands lingered at his feet.

"No, Gaara!" a voice yelled, more demanding than begging.

- - - -

Kind of a rough cliffhanger there ;) So, taking votes: should Naruto die or live? xD


	7. No! It Isn't True!

:: Author's Notes ::  
  
About the whole 'should Naruto live or die' thing, that was supposed to be a joke ;) But that's okay; I didn't get a single 'die' vote, and I GUESS I won't kill him off xD I'm really sorry that the chapters are so short... I have a lot of trouble staying on more than an hour because my mom's really strict about stuff like that. It's a lame, sad excuse but it's true :/  
  
Sasuke: HAHA your MOM won't let you stay online. I don't have such mediocre restrictions!  
  
That's 'cause your parents are DEAD, Sassy-UchihaButt.  
  
Sasuke: Oh... yeah. Right.  
  
Anyway, now that I'm done arguing with a charcter that isn't mine but that I do have verbal control of, enjoy! I really am going to try and make it long.  
  
Every time I read new reviews, I start giggling, sometimes snorting (I know,**_ I'm_** even amazed I have friends) and then my dog looks at me funny and walks out of the room, but that's okay! I love everyone who has reviewed, all of you make my day and give me fuel to keep writing!!  
  
And I will most definitely be reading(and reviewing!) Vanya Starwind's Sakura and Itachi fiction. If anybody else has odd couplings, PLEASE let me know and I will be super happy to R&R them!!

* * *

"Here." Naruto handed Temari an icepack to lay on her bandaged hand, uncomfortably shifting his eyes away when she winced in pain.  
  
She nodded her thank-you, casting him the smallest tweak of a smile.  
  
It had all been a huge mess- Temari became scared out of her wits upon seeing the candle's glow against Kankuro and the Crow's plasticine-like faces, and had hit the wall hard. Gaara automatically reacted when his sister screamed for help, and knowing that Kankuro wouldn't have tried to kill her, went for Naruto. But her cry had stopped him in his tracks, moments before Naruto would have engaged in a fight with him.  
  
Now, she was sitting on the cushiony seats of her living couch, opposite her brothers, who were seated on chairs. Naruto sat beside her on the armrest of the couch.  
  
"I would think you of all people wouldn't freak when you saw the Crow." grinned Kankuro, his hand clutching the spiky head of his puppet. He swiveled the base a few times for emphasis and amusement.  
  
Temari glared at her brother, still somewhat angry. "Do you know how scary that damned puppet is? You could've killed me, I was so frightened."  
  
Kankuro's eyes widened slightly, and he took in a small breath.  
  
The comment had caught him off guard; Temari would never admit a weakness like this one, but he cast it aside, spreading his slim, toothy grin again and gazing at something across the room.  
  
"You still haven't told me why you've come." she stared at both of the men sternly, breaking the tension of the room abruptly.  
  
Inside, her heart was beating heavily, and she swore they could hear it.  
  
Kankuro glanced to Gaara, who held a steady gaze with his Temari.  
  
"We have been sent not only to bring you back... but to bring news." he said calmly.  
  
She raised her chin. "I am not returning to that hellhole of a home with a child." she snarled firmly, and stood to her feet, clenching the ice pack tightly in her fist.  
  
An angered snort escaped Kankuro. "Baka! As if we didn't know you would say that. And don't try to guilt us into anything just because you're pregnant."  
  
"Don't call me an idiot!" yelled Temari in defense.  
  
"Oh, and someone who has an accidental child and then just runs away isn't?!"  
  
A smack resonated through the room, echoing against the bare walls.  
  
Kankuro reeled and held his mouth, which Temari had fiercely slapped.  
  
"Agh! Temari, God, what's your problem?!" he demanded. Her nails had left bleeding claw marks across his cheek, while her fingers had nearly broken one of his teeth.  
  
"You! Why the hell couldn't you have just left me alone?! I was doing fine here- I have a job, I have friends, I'm happy... None of these things... I never had these in Sunakagure!!" She was on the edge of crying, but still held her chest high and kept her authority.  
  
Silence.  
  
Heaving, Temari looked down at Kankuro, the tears moments from spilling down her cheeks. He looked away. He hadn't seen her cry since...  
  
_Don't look at me, freak!_  
  
"Why don't you come home? We wouldn't let him..." said Gaara, interrupting the silence with an angered tone.  
  
Temari gazed up at him, and rivaled at how tall he was. The only pictures she had of him were from when he was in the Chuunin exam, before and after. She had been looking at pictures of her family everyday, and had forgotton how handsome and lean he was now.  
  
He seemed genuinely worried- his eyes weren't entirely open and alert, but squinted and... confused, even? His red hair was untrimmed and ragged, and he seemed mad, but unwilling to hurt her.  
  
"I just don't think that... anyone could... _protect..." _she spat the last word, hating the taste of it on her tongue.  
  
"Wait- who? Who would hurt Temari?" demanded Naruto, his eyebrows pushing together in frustration. Temari had told him nothing of her situation, and this whole time, he had been confused.  
  
Kankuro quirked an eyebrow at him. "Our father. I somehow doubt he'd be pleased that his first grandchild was a bastard. In fact, I know it."  
  
"What does that mean?" asked Temari, truly not wanting to hear what she knew was coming.  
  
"...you know... what it means... Temari."  
  
Kankuro would not look at her.  
  
"He's killed him."  
  
Temari glanced up, hearing her brother's voice die away at the end of his sentence. "Oh, God. No..." her breathing became quicker, and her wounded hand ignored the pain and clutched the area over her heart. Desperately, she looked away, her eyeline glancing to Gaara, the floor, the glass gourd across the room... anything.  
  
"Assassinated only two days ago." admitted Gaara, sorrow hanging ever so loosely from his gaze.  
  
Tears lingered at the corner of her eyes, a few shallow ones rolling down her cheeks in silence. There was perhaps a full minute of silence before she stood to her feet, both hands resting on her stomach.  
  
"The couch folds out into a bed. Just put the other furniture in the spare room, please. There are linens in the closet."  
  
Without another word, she left the room, stepping into her bedroom and closing the door behind her.

* * *

:: Author's Notes ::  
  
I wasn't sure how to portray Gaara- I wanted him to be all mean and smecksay but protective of Temari. Oh well- I just hope you Gaara-fans think I did okay :) 


End file.
